Shop Talk

Follow Shop Talk
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Brandi and James explore the "shop talk" of those engaging in cross cultural living and work. Having lived and worked cross culturally they will draw from their own experiences and interview others along the way.

James Covey


    • Dec 19, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 38m AVG DURATION
    • 46 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Shop Talk with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Shop Talk

    Season 4 Episode 12: Season Wrap up And Christmas Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2024 23:42


    Join Brandi and James as they review the highlights of the podcasts from last year. With 12 episodes, they had many wonderful guests covering a broad range of topics impacting cross-cultural workers. This episode ends with three guest spots sharing stories of their holiday memories living cross-culturally. Meet our Guests below or in the podcast! […]

    Season 4 Episode 11: Sabbatical with Jeff Simons

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2024


    Join Brandi and James as they interview Jeff Simons on Sabbaticals. Jeff is a missiologist at core. He works out this passion as a trained leadership coach, and a cross-cultural companion to global leaders in major transition to, within, and from the field. His unique wiring plays out as a Resourcing Developer—of people, tools for […]

    Season 4 Episode 10: Chronic Depression with Dr. Lee Long. A Cognitive Behavior Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP) Approach.

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2024


    Join Brandi and James as they interview Dr. Lee Long, discussing chronic depression and the treatment modality of CBASP. This relatively new and foundational approach to treating chronic depression helps clients navigate fear avoidance and perceptual disconnection. This is primarily accomplished through two goals of CBASP of felt didactic safety and perceived functionality. This approach […]

    Season 4 Episode 9: Book Club! Emotionally Healthy Spirituality for Cross-Cultural Workers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024


    Join Brandi and James as they share thoughts from Pete Scazzaro’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. They discuss the book’s principles and practices and how they apply to cross-cultural workers. Family Retreat Activities: Here are some activities for families to do together, including a family genogram. Here is a resource for anyone who would like to […]

    Season 4: Episode 8. Velvet Ashes with Danielle Wheeler

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2024


    Editor’s note (The sound quality improves after about 15 minutes) Join Brandi and James as they interview Danielle Wheeler, the founder of Velvet Ashes. They talk about the unique experiences of women serving cross-culturally and the loneliness and isolation that can be a hallmark of the experience. Danielle Wheeler is a spiritual director and the […]

    wheeler velvet ashes
    Season 4 Episode 7: Working with Cross-Cultural Teams with Stephanie Schwarz

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2024


    Join Brandi and James as they talk to Stephanie Schwarz. She is a Registered Psychologist working with individuals, families, couples, and children. She enjoys building relationships in communities, connecting with schools, providing supervision, and supporting people negotiating international transitions. Today the conversation is about the challenges with cross-cultural teams. This includes navigating conflict and much […]

    Season 4 Episode 6: Attachment Styles and Our relationship to God with Dr. Ted Wueste

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2024 44:07


    Join Brandi and James as they interview Dr. Ted Wueste on Attachment Theory and how it impacts our relationship with God. You can find more about Ted at https://desertdirection.com. “attachment theory, in developmental psychology, the theory that humans are born with a need to form a close emotional bond with a caregiver and that such […]

    Season 4 Episode 5: Addictions with Verne Salter

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2024 45:21


    Brandi and James welcome Verne Salter to discuss addiction and its impact on cross-cultural workers. One of the bigger factors is that whatever is dealt with in our home context gets intensified when moving cross-culturally. This also may be complicated by the loss of healthy anchors. The result is issues that might only be minor […]

    Season 4 Episode 4: Missional Resilience with Goeff Whiteman; Listening to Member Care.

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2024 40:16


    Brandi and James welcome back Geoff Whiteman, ThM, LMFT, to discuss missional resilience and what he has learned from his most recent study listening to member care professionals. You can learn more and get in touch with Geoff at www.resilientglobalworker.org “At the end of our grit, missional resilience really flourishes, and we come to the […]

    Season 4 Episode 3: TCK Educational Needs with Bethany Walker

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2024 44:23


    Bethany Walker is currently the curriculum director of an online Christian school called Norhtline Academy, which has been serving global workers for over 25 years. She has extensive experience teaching, developing curriculum, and living cross-culturally. You can read more about her here. Families are going to have unique needs, and those pieces of resourcing are […]

    Season 4 Episode 2: Talkin’ ’bout my g g g… Sandwich Generation with Hannele Secchi

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 41:31


    Hannele Secchia serves with SIL in Ethiopia, where she grew up and has lived and worked for the last 15 years. In Ethiopia, she has served SIL, Bingham Academy, and the broader cross-cultural community in a variety of care-oriented ways. Currently, she is the President of Families in Global Transition. The Sandwich Generation “This is […]

    Season 4 Episode 1: The Transition of Retirement with Shonna Ingram

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2024 40:40


    Join Brandi and James as they interview Shonna Ingram about transitions and retirement. It can often be a taboo subject but can be an opportunity to celebrate a different life stage and is worth planning for. “Retirement is a hard transition for people. It may not be only the re-entry or retirement issue; it could […]

    Season 3 Episode 12: 2023 Wrap up

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2023 24:15


    Join Brandi and James as they wrap up 2023 with some highlights, trends, and what they look forward to next year. One way to incorporate this same idea yourself or with your family would be through the practice of an Examen. Pausing to notice the highs and lows of the year and to write down […]

    Season 3 Episode 11: Mindfulness with Bethann Miller

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2023 40:43


    Bethann is the co-founder and CEO of Safe Place, a ministry that provides support, training, care, and guidance to folks serving in Christ-centered ministry throughout the world. She is also a licensed chaplain, board-certified pastoral counselor, and author of “The Invitation,” a handbook that sets the stage for couples to engage in deeper relational connection. […]

    Season 3 Episode 10: Short-Term Teams with Andrea Kroeze

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2023 39:48


    Join Brandi and James as they talk about Short-Term teams with Andrea Kroeze. Andrea serves with Touch The World, offering training and development for short-term projects, teams, or individuals doing short-term cross-cultural ministry. https://touchtheworld.org Through The Missions Academy, you will be equipped with: https://learn.themissionsacademy.com/ Contact Andrea andreak@touchtheworld.org

    Season 3 Episode 9: Autism and Neurodivergence among Cross-Cultural Workers and their Families.

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2023 39:36


    Join Brandi and James as they interview Chyrl Mullins, an Educational Consultant with Wycliffe. They talk about Autism spectrum signs, symptoms, and treatments. They also look at how to navigate the world of ASD from the perspective of families and co-workers. Understanding more about neurodivergence and the range of experience with ASD increases the grace […]

    Season 3 Episode 8: Expectations

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2023 37:00


    Cross-Cultural Worker Expectations Worksheet – by James Covey, MA LPC-S Step 2: Invitations Internal Expectations A) Give grace to myself or others. Is my expectation unrealistic? Is this personable to give me what I need at this time? Do my expectations need to beadjusted?B) Release, surrender or grieve an unmet expectation. Do I need to […]

    expectations james covey
    Season 3 Episode 7: Trauma-Informed Staff Care

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2023 39:07


    What is Trauma?  “Trauma is a deep wound of the heart and mind that takes a long time to heal. It hurts every part of our lives: how we relate to others, how our body feels, what we think about, and how much we can trust God. It can make us feel separated from God […]

    Season 3 Episode 6: Compassion Fatigue with Mark Ventrella

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2023 39:20


    Compassion Fatigue “It is impossible to be close to suffering and not be impacted by it” – Mark Ventrella. “Most healthcare providers enter the field with the intent to help others and provide empathic care for patients with critical physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. Healthcare providers, however, can be impacted by the continuing stress […]

    Season 3 Episode 5: Emotional Intelligence

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2023 38:50


    Join Brandi and James as they discuss emotional intelligence, what it is and why it is important for cross cultural workers and organizations to be emotionally intelligent. Daniel Goleman, the author of Emotional Intelligence, defined emotion as “referring to a feeling and its distinctive thoughts, psychological and biological states, and range of propensities to act.” […]

    Season 3 Episode 4: The Rise of Teenage Anxiety with Brianna White, LMFT

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2023 47:27


    Join Brandi and James as they talk with Brianna White, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist about anxiety in teenagers, specifically Third Culture Kids. Brianna said; “we all need to remember that anxiety is a body reaction to a challenge we are facing. It can be really uncomfortable but that doesn’t mean its bad or dangerous […]

    Season 3 Episode 3: Navigating the Neutral Zone with Dr. Stephen Jones

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2023 39:18


    Why do they call it the neutral zone?? it doesn’t feel neutral at all its just hard! Join Brandi and James as they talk to Dr. Stephen Jones about his research, books and personal experience with navigating transition. They cover the range of the transition experience and talk tools and practical steps for healthy transitions. […]

    Season 3 Episode 2: Women in Cross-Cultural Ministry with Amy Galloway

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2023 45:03


    Join Brandi and James as they welcome Amy Galloway to talk about the roles of women in cross-cultural ministry. The topics range from how to create organizational change towards a minority (30% must be represented for change to happen) to the development traits women experience at different points in their journeys. Amy Galloway has an […]

    Season 3 Episode 1: Conflict Resolution with Dr. Janeen Davis

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2023 43:33


    Join Brandi and James as they interview Dr. Janeen Davis to figure out why we can’t all just get along! Janeen shares about her experience as a cross cultural worker and care provider and how she found the Peace Pursuit Quickstart Guide and shifted from being a conflict avoider to a peace pursuer. Janeen Davis, […]

    Season 2 Episode 9: Care During Covid; What We Learned From The Pandemic

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2022 36:47


    Join Brandi and James as they discuss James’ recent research and presentation on what the global staff care and counseling community have learned from the pandemic about caring staff. Not all of the changes that have impacted our cross cultural workers have been negative and many we need to keep doing. In many ways our […]

    Season 2 Episode 8: Trauma with Dr. Phil Monroe

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2022 45:45


    Join Brandi and James as they interview Dr. Phil Monroe with Langberg, Monroe and Associates about trauma. Dr. Philip Monroe leads Langberg, Monroe & Associates and is a psychologist with three decades of clinical experience. His personal, professional, and spiritual musings may be found at http://www.philipmonroe.com. “Trauma is a wound of the heart that affects […]

    Season 2 Episode 7: Navigating the Risk in Returning with Anna Hampton

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2022 43:52


    Join Brandi and James as they interview Anna Hampton, Author of Facing Danger, to talk about navigating theology of risk and the risk of returning to locations after a crisis. In the Fall of 2022 we are still navigating challenges of Russia’s war against Ukraine and other evacuations from around the globe. We strongly encourage […]

    Season 2 Episode 6: Transition Coaching with Tim Austin

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2022 37:46


    Join Brandi and James as they interview Tim Austin to talk about the challenges of transition and ways coaching can help. Tim shares from his experiences and training as a life coach both concepts and practical ways for people to create space and creativity amidst major transitions. Click Here to view the transition curve Tim […]

    Season 2 Episode 5: Spiritual Direction with Roslyn Manson

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2022 39:56


    Join Brandi and James as they meet with Roslyn Manson to discuss what is spiritual direction and how it might be helpful for cross cultural workers. She shares some resources to find out more about Spiritual Direction and why you might want to meet with one. Enjoy! Roslyn Manson graduated as a spiritual director in […]

    Season 2 Episode 4: Leadership Coaching with Keith Webb

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2022 42:41


    Listen to the latest episode of Shop Talk: with Brandi and James as they interview Keith Webb to talk about Coaching and why coaching skills are an essential for good leadership. Keith Webb is a coach, trainer and author. He advocates for a different kind of leadership, one that works on-the-go with people everywhere. He lived […]

    Season 2 Episode 3 “The Couch” with Paula Wong

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2022 47:07


    Join Shop Talk with Brandi and James as they talk with Paula Wong about her work with cross cultural workers. Dr. Wong was trained in Australia and now lives in Switzerland where she covers a broad range of issues in her Counseling Practice primarily with cross cultural workers. Through her work Paula holds an unshakable […]

    Season 2 Episode 2: Merry Cross Cultural Christmas

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2021 47:48


    Join Shop Talk with Brandi and James as they interview friends from around the world gaining insights at ways to celebrate Christmas cross culturally. Special thanks to guests Mary Lou Smyth, Christopher Arnold, Tim Robinson and Randi Israel! Thanks to Alex_MakeMusic from Pixabay for the free Christmas music in the podcast!

    Season 2 Episode 1: Having FUN!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2021 33:22


    Depression Part 2 (Episode 13)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2021 34:20


    In this episode Brandi and James get a little deeper into what to do about depression. One of the big keys is growing in self awareness so you know when you need help and how to get it. It is easy to ask someone to help you move because it is obviously a two person […]

    Resilience with Geoff Whiteman, LMF (Shop Talk Episode 12)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2021 39:10


    Join Brandi and James as they interview Geoff Whiteman, LMF discussing his research on resiliency and cross cultural workers. His study was completed by 892 workers representing 41 nationalities and serving in 148 countries. He will be speaking a Missio Nexus in September https://missionexus.org/innovate-2021/ on what the data said about organizations and resilience. Visit his […]

    Depression – Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2021 32:34


    Notes from the episode If the number of people depressed globally every year represented a country’s population, it would be one of the biggest countries in the world ( Globally, more than 264 million people of all ages suffer from depression annually (WHO).) In this first episode James and Brandi discuss what depression is and how […]

    TCK part 3 with Dr. Lindsay Stone

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2021 41:31


    TCK’s and Trauma focusing on the research of Dr. Lindsay Stone. Dr. Stone is a TCK/MK herself and her research focused on stories of TCK’s and identified specific trauma categories they often experience.

    Episode 9: TCK part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2021 43:13


    One thing the globally mobile lifestyle requires from us all is to adjust to change. In Third Culture Kids: Growing up among Worlds, David C. Pollock and Ruth Van Reken introduced the concept of ‘building a RAFT' to help ease us and our children through moves to new cultures. RAFT stands for:  Reconciliation Affirmation Farewells Think […]

    worlds raft david c pollock
    TCK – Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2021 34:10


    (Third Culture Kids) Families in Global Transition resources www.figt.org Lauren Wells coaching, training & resources www.tcktraining.com Interaction International resources https://interactionintl.org/resources/ TCK Connect groups https://interactionintl.org/programs/tck-connect/ Third Culture Kids In this publication, the authors explore the experiences of those who have become known as third culture kids (TCKs) – children who grow up or spend a significant […]

    Grief (Part 2) – Dr. Ted Wueste

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2021 30:20


    One way to process your own grief is through writing of a lament. Here is one way to engage in that process. Writing your own lament By James Covey (adapted from Healing Teen's Wounds of Trauma) One positive way to deal with the hard things that go on in our lives is to create a […]

    Grief (Part 1) – Dr. Ted Wueste

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2021 27:44


    Shop Talk with Brandi and James Episode number 6 (Subscribe on wherever you listen to podcasts) followers of Christ to learn to listen to God in the context of contemplative, abiding prayer where God is enjoyed and desire for Him stirred. As I've learned and grown deeper in my own intimacy with the Trinity, a […]

    Listening

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2021 27:30


    Active Listening Skills S – S stands for sitting squarely. So you sit and face the person that you are talking to. We should sit attentively at an angle to the person, so that we can look at them directly and show that we are listening to them and paying attention to them. O – O stands […]

    New Years Resolutions or how to make CHANGE that lasts

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2021 33:49


    Join Brandi and James as they discuss how to make resolutions stick and the science behind making change. Subscribe to “Shop Talk” a podcast with Brandi and James. Available on Apple Podcast and Android and GooglePlay To make sure your goals are clear and reachable, each one should be: Specific (simple, sensible, significant). Measurable (meaningful, […]

    Enneagram: Interview with Jenni Swink

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2020 36:35


    Join Brandi and James with expert Jenni Swink as they look at the basics of what the Enneagram is how it can be used for cross cultural workers. Subscribe to “Shop Talk” a podcast with Brandi and James. Available on Apple Podcast and Android and GooglePlay Recommended Resources The best place to get started would […]

    Burnout!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2020 34:51


    Subscribe to “Shop Talk” a podcast with Brandi and James and listen to their second episode. Available on Apple Podcast and Android and GooglePlay What is Burnout? “an extended period of time where someone experiences exhaustion and a lack of interest in things, resulting in a decline in their job performance.” “In those situations, the demands […]

    Why are we so tired?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2020 34:39


    subscribe to the podcast Here on Itunes

    Claim Shop Talk

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel